Waist-mounted gyratory rod recreational device



Sept. 19, 1967 E. A. PAOLONE 3,342,482

WAIST MOUNTED GYRATORY ROD RECREATIONAL DEVICE Filed Jan. 20, 1964United States Patent O 3,342,482 WAIST-MOUNTED GYRATORY ROD RECREATIONALDEVICE Ernest A. Paolone, 10410 Ave. O, Chicago, Ill. 60617 Filed Jan.20, 1964, Ser. No. 339,023 8 Claims. (Cl. 272-57) My present inventionrelates to a recreational device for affording the user thereofrelaxation and enjoyment.

It is an object of my present invention to provide a recreational devicewhich is adapted to be secured to the body of a person and manipulatedby means of oscillatory motion of the body. It is another object of mypresent invention to provide a recreational device, as described,wherein one end of a 4generally forwardly extending elongated member issecured to the waist of a person, and wherein the other end thereof ismovable through spatial paths when the body of the person is oscillated.

It is a further object of my present invention to provide a recreationaldevice, as described, wherein the elongated member is flexible, andwherein an enlargement, in the form of a spherical resilient member, issecured to the forward end of the elongated member and serves todescribe spatial paths as a result of flexure of the flexible memberwhen the body of the person is oscillated.

As a feature of my present invention, the described recreational devicenot only affords pleasure but also promotes bodily exercise.

Now in order to acquaint those skilled in the art with the manner ofconstructing and using recreational devices in accordance with theprinciples of my present invention, Ishall describe in connection withthe accompanying drawing a preferred embodiment of my invention.

In the drawing:

FIGURE l is `a perspective view of a preferred embodiment of therecreational device of my present invention secured to a person, andillustrates various iiexural positions of the device and spatial pathsthat may be described bythe outer end thereof.

FIGURE 2 is a plan view of the recreational device of FIGURE 1, with theresilient member, and the mounting means therefor, at the outer end ofthe elongated member being shown in section; and

FIGURE 3 is a fragmentary sectional view illustrating the means by whichthe one end of the elongated member is mounted in the associated basemember of my recreational device.

Referring now to the drawing, there is indicated generally by thereference numeral the recreational device of my present invention. Therecreational device 10 comprises a base member 12 which, as shown, maybe in the form of a fiat circular plate or disk, and may be fabricatedof wood or any other suitable material. The recreational device 10further `comprises an elongated member 14 which is fabricated in rodform of a flexible material such as Fiberglas.

The means by which one end of the elongated flexible member 14 ismounted in the base member 12 is best shown in FIGURE 3. A centraltransverse opening 16 is formed in the base member 12 and disposedtherethrough in a metal bushing member 18. The bushing member 18 ispreferably press iitted in the opening 16 substantially verticalposition to the waist of a 3,342,482 Patented Sept. 19, 1967` and isared radially outwardly at one end as at 20. One end of the elongatedmember or rod 14 extends through and is supported in the bushing member18, and a hairpin fastener 22 is snapped into an annular groove at theend of the rod 14 for preventing the latter from being withdrawn to theright as viewed in FIGURE 3. As will be appreciated, the hairpinfastener 22 engages and bears against the flared end 20 of the bushingmember 18 when the rod 14 is urged to the right. The end of the rod 14on which the hairpin fastener 22 is mounted is enclosed by a dishedclosure member 24 having a plurality of circumferentially spaced prongs26 that are pressed into the adjacent side of the base member 12. Theclosure member 24 serves to restrict movement of the rod 14 to the leftas viewed in FIGURE 3. A -corresponding dished closure member 28 isaffixed in the opposed side of the base member 12 by means of aplurality of circumferentially -spaced prongs 30. The closure member 28is provided with a central aperture 32 to accommodate the bushing member18.

Mounted at the end of the elongated member 14, opposite the base member12, is an enlargement 34, preferably in the form of a sphere fabricatedof a resilient material such as rubber. A central opening 36 is formedthrough the resilient member 34 to receive the outer end of the rod 14.A connector 38, having an annular flanged head portion 40, is pressfitted or embedded in the resilient member 34 at one end of the opening36 therein and is adapted to be threaded onto the adjacent end of therod 14. The head portion 40 of the connector 38 serves to prevent theresilient member 34 from being thru-st from the rod 14 duringmanipulation of the recreational device 10.

My above-described recreational device 10 is adapted to be secured tothe body of a person, as shown in FIG- URE 1, and manipulated by meansof oscillatory motion of the body. More specifically, the base member 12of the recreational device 10 is adapted to be secured in a person withthe elongated member 14 being thereby positioned to extend generallyforwardly therefrom. The means for mounting the base member 12 to thewaist of a person comprises, as shown in FIGURE 2, a. pair of strap orbelt members 42 and 44, which may be fabricated of canvas, leather orthe like, and which have cooperating interlocking end clip and bucklemembers 46 and 48 respectively. The other ends of the belt members 42and 44 are secured to the base member 12 by means of eye-screws 50Athreaded into the edges ofthe base member 12 at diametrically oppositesides thereof. l In using the recreational device 10 of my presentinvention, the base member 12 is placed. at the waist of a person andthe end clip and buckle members 46 and 48 are suitably interconnected atthe back of the person. It, will be appreciated that the closure member24 serves to shield the clothes of the person from contact with theinner end of the rod 14 and hairpin fastener 22. After `the recreationaldevice 10 has been secured in position, as shown in solid lines inFIGURE 1, the resilient member 34 may be moved through various spatialpaths as a'result of flexure of the flexible member 14 when the body ofthe person is oscillated.

By reason of oscillatory motion of the body of the person, the resilientmember 3,4 is movable to describe an infinite number of spatial paths orpatterns. For example, if the hips of the person are twisted back andforth from side to side, the resultant flexure of the rod 14 will causethe resilient member 34 to describe cyclically an arcuate path in agenerally horizontal plane. If the arms of the person are then extendedoutwardly, the resilient member 34, at each end of its arcuate travelfollowing the path shown in dotted lines in FIGURE 1, may be bouncedagainst the palms of the hands of the person. As another example, if thehips of a person are appropriately twisted or gyrated, the resultantflexure of the elongated rod 14 will cause the resilient member 34,depending upon the precise type of hip movement, to describe either acircle, or a figure 8 as shown in dot-dash lines in FIGURE 1. Duringsuch whirling of the resilient member 34, the latter .may be bounced onthe ground, or not, as desired by the user. As a further example, if thehips of the person are swung generally forwardly and backwardly, flexureof the rod 14 will cause the resilient member 34 to describe an arcuatepath lying in a substantially vertical plane. Here, too, the resilientmember '34 may be bounced off the ground and/or the lhead of the person,as desired. As a still further example, if the hips of the person arearched from side to side, flexure of the rod 14 will cause the resilientmember 34 to describe the path of a halfcircle either facing upwardly,or facing downwardly with the resilient member 34 bouncing on the groundat the ends of each stroke.

For purposes of describing a specific embodiment of the recreationaldevice 10, the base member 12 may be '8 inches in diameter and 1/2 inchthick, the rod 14 may be 4 feet in length and 1/8 inch in diameter, andthe resilient member 34 may be 3 inches in diameter. However, it is tobe lunderstood that the length of the rod 14 may be altered toaccommodate use of the recreational device by l persons of differentsizes. Also, the size of the base member 12 and of the resilient member34 may be varied. Finally, the lterm oscillate, or derivative thereof,is herein used to refer generically to all forms of body movementincluding the described motions of arching, swinging, girating, andtwisting.

While I have shown and described what I believe to be a preferredembodiment of my present invention, it will be understood by thoseskilled in the art that various rearrangements and modifications may bemade therein without -departing from the spirit and scope of myinvention.

I claim:

'1. A recreational device comprising a normally substantially straightelongated rod readily flexible in all directions transversely of thelongitudinal axis thereof, means for securing one end of said elongatedflexible rod to the waist of a person with said elongated flexible rodbeing positioned to extend generally forwardly therefrom, an enlargementfixed at the other end of said elongated flexible rod, and saidenlargement being of suflicient weight and said rod being of sulllcientflexibility to cause said enlargement to describe spatial paths whensaid waist securing means is oscillated.

"2. A recreational device comprising a normally substantially straightrod readily flexible in all directions transversely of the longitudinalaxis thereof, means for securing one end of said flexible rod to thewaist of a person with said flexible rod being positioned to extendgenerally forwardly therefrom, a spherical member fixed at the other endof said flexible rod, and said spherical member being of sulllcientweight and said rod being of sufficient flexibility to cause saidspherical member t describe arcuate paths when said waist securing meansis oscillated.

3. A recreational device comprising a normally substantially straightrod readily flexible in all directions transversely of the longitudinalaxis thereof, means for securing one end of said flexible rod to thewaist of a person with said flexible rod being positioned to extendgenerally forwardly therefrom, a resilient member fixed at the other endof said flexible rod, and said resilient member being of sufficientweight and said rod being of suflicient flexibility to cause saidresilient member to describe arcuate paths `when said waist securingmeans is oscillated.

4. A recreational Idevice comprising a base member, means for securingsaid base member to the waist of a person, a normally substantiallystraight rod readily flexible in all directions transversely of thelongitudinal axis thereof, said flexible rod being secured at one end tosaid base member and being positioned to extend generally forwardly fromthe person, a resilient member, means fixedly mounting said resilientmember at the other end of said flexible rod, and said resilient memberbeing of sufllcient weight and said rod being of sufficient flexibilityto cause said resilient member to describe arcuate paths when said basemember is oscillated.

5. A recreational -device comprising a base member, strap means forsecuring said base member to the waist of a person in a generallyvertical position, a normally substantially straight rod readilyflexible in all directions transversely of the longitudinal axisthereof, said flexible rod extending generally forwardly from said basemember with one end thereof extending through said base membertransversely thereof, means for restraining axial movement of saidflexible rod relative to said base member, a resilient member, meansfixedly mounting said resilient member at the other end of said flexiblerod, and said resilient member being of sulllcient weight and said rodbeing of sufllcient flexibility to cause said resilient member todescribe cyclically arcuate paths when said base member is oscillated.

6. A recreational device comprising .a base member, strap means forsecuring said base member to the waist of a person in a generallyvertical position, `an elongated flexible rod extending generallyforwardly from said base member with one end thereof extending throughsaid base member transversely thereof, means secured to said one end ofsaid flexible rod for restraining movement of said flexible rod in oneaxial direction relative to said base member, means secured to said basemember at said one end of said flexible rod for restraining movement ofsaid flexible rod in the other axial direction relative to said basemember, a resilient member, means fixedly mounting said resilient memberat the other end of said flexible rod, and said resilient member beingof sufficient weight and said rod being of sufficient flexibility tocause said resilient member to describe cyclically arcuate paths whensaid base member is oscillated.

7. A recreational device comprising a disk-like base member, strap meansfor securing said base member to the waist of `a person in a generallyvertical position, said base member having a central transverse openingtherethrough, a bushing member disposed in said central opening, anelongated flexible rod extending generally forwardly from said basemember with one end thereof extending through said bushin-g member,means secured to said one end of said flexible rod for restrainingmovement of said flexible rod in one axial direction relative to saidbase member, closure means secured to said base member at said one endof said flexible rod for restraining movement of said flexible rod inthe other axial direction relative to said base member, a resilientmember, means fixedly mounting said resilient member at the other end ofsaid lflexible rod, Iand said resilient member being of sufficientweight and said rod being of suflicient flexibility to c-ause saidresilient member to describe cyclically arcuate paths when said basemember is oscillated.

8. The recreational device of claim 7 wherein said resilient member isformed with a central opening to receive said other end of said flexiblerod, and said mounting means is comprised of a connector embedded insaid flexible rod.

References Cited UNITED Faranda 46--175 5 Harpham 272-80 Verseghy 273-58X Grist.

Payne 46-51 6 iNucting et al. 273-97 Gage 273-95 X [Petitto 46-51 Klotz46-191 X ANTON `O. OECHSLE, Primary Examiner. DELBERT LOWE, Examiner. M.R. PAGE, Assistant Examiner.

1. A RECREATIONAL DEVICE COMPRISING A NORMALLY SUBSTANTIALLY STRAIGHTELONGATED ROD READY FLEXIBLE IN ALL DIRECTIONS TRANSVERSELY OF THELONGITUDINAL AXIS THEREOF, MEANS FOR SECURING ONE END OF SAID ELONGATEDFLEXIBLE ROD TO THE WAIST OF A PERSON WITH SAID ELONGATED FLEXIBLE RODBEING POSITIONED TO EXTEND GENERALLY FORWARDLY THEREFROM, AN ENLARGEMENTFIXED AT THE OTHER END OF SAID ELONGATED FLEXIBLE ROD, AND SAIDENLARGEMENT BEING OF SUFFICIENT